One Way Home
by alimination602
Summary: Ratchet and the others are left floating in the escape pod after escaping Dreadzone


Chapter 1- One Way Home

Ratchet leant back in his seat, sighing lightly and allowing his tense muscles to relax. This was the first time he had finally been able to relax since he and the others had been captured on the Phoenix and taken to Dreadzone weeks ago. Ratchet allowed his gaze to move lazily over the others in the escape pod- Dallas was 'enjoying' the company of the three kids who had stared in the Dreadzone commercials as Juanita watched in contempt as a grown man was being overpowered by three ten year olds.

Clank lay in the long arms of Venus while Al sat in the cockpit piloting the escape pod with the two test bots.

Ratchet rose from his seat, walking towards the front of the ship. "What's the situation Al?"

Al leant back in his seat, staring at the controls in deep thought "I'm afraid, not good. This escape pod isn't designed for long distance travel. The engine is a Mark II Megacorp X-17, but we would need something with at least the power of a Blargian 2-79J to make it back to Solana"

Ratchet scratched his head in thinly veiled confusion, even though he was a space ship mechanic he didn't pride himself on knowing the exact specs of every engine in existence. "Err huh"

"In layman's terms, we're stuck here" Al dumbed it down a bit. That was what Ratchet didn't like about Al, he over complicated things when the situation didn't demand it.

"Well what does this rust bucket have?" Ratchet tried to think positive.

"Standard issue- Com link, a few days emergency supplies, short range hail to signal any passing ships and, if you give me some time, I can rig up a short range radar to see if we can find a nearby planet. Or a passing ship".

"Great, any way I can help?"

"Not right now. I'm sure you could use some sleep, I'll call you when I'm done".

"Thanks" Ratchet returned to Clanks side as he dropped his head into his hands. Clank looked over at him.

"What's wrong Ratchet?"

Ratchet looked up at his buddy before turning back to the floor. "I just talked to Al. Looks like we are goanna be stuck here for a while."

"I'm sure it's not as bad as that. We survived Dreadzone, we will survive this"

"Yeah" Ratchet laid down on the seat as he drifted into sleep. Clank had always been there for him, and all he could do was complain and breakdown. Clank deserved more than that.

"Ratchet" He heard Clanks voice scream his name. He opened his helmet as he looked up into Clanks big green eyes.

"Al's got a signal" His robotic voice attempted to convey the joy an organic would be feeling.

"Huh" Ratchet replied still in a daze.

"On the radar" Clank replied. Ratchet scrambled to his feet and strode to Al's side.

"What's going on?" Ratchet asked.

"We've got a ship on radar" Al placed his hands to the controls. "Hailing now."

"Wait!" Ratchet yelled, he grabbed Al's arm. He stared at the display showing the view outside. He saw the ship they had spotted on radar, a Dreadzone Transport.

"Doesn't look friendly" Ratchet whispered. The ship suddenly banked towards them.

"They've seen us" Ratchet whispered.

"Oh god. What do we do?" Al asked.

"Take them down" Ratchet replied. He strode over to his seat and removed his wrench from his back. He secured the locks of his helmet in place. He took his position at the other end of the ship "Everyone stay down and stay back" Everybody quickly shuffled towards the cockpit, huddling together.

The unknown ship approached, it slowed above the escape shuttle. The ship lowered its landing claw. There was a loud screech of metal against metal as the ship locked itself to the shuttles hull. The airlock in the shuttles roof slid open, darkness filled the hatch. Ratchet braced himself, ready for whatever was to come. A Dreadzone robot dropped through the hole, crashing to the deck, blaster in hand ready. The creature glanced around the ship until it fixed its vision on Ratchet. "So it's true. You did make it off the station" the robot spoke with a mechanically augmented voice.

"Yeah, and now we're going home" Ratchet lunged forward with his wrench, but the robot jumped to his left and fired its blaster. The shots burned into the wall as Ratchet charged forward to take another swing with his wrench.

"Oh, that was a near miss. What do you think Juanita, can Ratchet dodge another shot like that in such close quarters?" The idiot looked over at his anchor partner.

"Dallas, we're not even on TV right now" Juanita coldly shot him down.

"Oh yeah, but still" Dallas lowered his head in shame.

Ratchet swung at his opponent's legs, but the robot simply leapt over the swing. Exposed, Ratchet took a hard strike to the helmet. Ratchet recoiled back, stunned. Ratchet was quickly deciphering this to be no ordinary combat bot. He lunged forward again and brought his wrench down on his opponent's side and finished with a second shot to its exposed torso. The robot glided across ship, crashing harshly to the deck. Ratchet stood over it, his wrench raised. "Nice moves, Hotshot" the robot spoke, its metallic voice laced with a feminine undertone.

"What?" Ratechet asked. The robot reached up with it's free hand to remove it's own helmet.

"Sasha!" Ratchet screeched

"Sasha?" Clank spoke, perplexed.

Ratchet retracted his helmet, staring down into Sasha's brown eyes. "As much as I love to have you on top of me, would you mind getting off?" Sasha asked.

"Oh, sorry" Ratchet quickly clambered off of her, embarrassed. Even with his thick fur anyone who knew Ratchet could see the light redness of him blushing. "Err. What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. After I lost contact on the Phoenix I knew you must have been captured by Dreadzone. My dad was planning a major assault against their station using this ship and this amour as a cover. But I stole it and came to rescue you myself"

"That was very rash and incredibly dangerous" Ratchet snubbed her. Ratchet smiled. "Thanks" She pulled Ratchets lips towards hers, Sasha suddenly realized how much taller he'd become, even without all the armor. Everyone just starred silently at the happy couple. Sasha finally realized they were watching and pulled away from Ratchet. "Err, come on we can get home in this ship". Everyone clambered into the ship Al took the pilots seat and started the engine.

After hours of flying they had finally made it back to the Phoenix. Ratchet immediately entered his room, unlocking his Dreadzone amour. His tail slipped free of it's containment, it dropped down to the floor. "Ahh finally".

"Looking good, hotshot" a voice purred behind him. He looked over his shoulder towards the door, he saw Sasha standing in the doorway.

"Sasha!" he exclaimed.

She walked over to him as she looked him over standing there in his boxers. He had become far more muscular since she last saw him. She walked over to his side and laid a kiss on his furry cheek and whispered in his ear. "How about a tail massage? Handsome". She twiddled his tail between her thumb and index finger. "For starters"


End file.
